The three-point hitch is the standard tractor hitch. The hitch typically consists of three elongate arms connected to and extending rearwardly from a tractor. Each arm has a transversely oriented aperture located in its distal end.
The elongate arms typically attach directly to an implement. An implement having a conventional hitching arrangement has three pins transversely and removably connected to pin connections mounted on a rear face of the implement in a triangular configuration.
To connect an implement having a conventional hitching arrangement with a three-point hitch, the pins of the implement are removed from their pin connections. The distal ends of the elongate arms of the tractor are then aligned in the pin connections and the pins are inserted back into the pin connections and through the apertures of the distal ends, thereby attaching the three-point hitch directly to the implement.
The typical three-point hitch is therefore manually connected to an implement. That is, after he has maneuvered a tractor having a three-point hitch adjacent an implement, the operator of the tractor must leave the tractor seat to connect the implement to the three-point hitch.
Deere and Company having corporate headquarters at John Deere Road, Moline, Ill,, manufactures an interfacing hitch which has been designated the "Quik-Coupler". The Quik-Coupler has an inverted U-shaped frame with three hooks rigidly connected and arranged in a similar geometric configuration as the conventional three-point hitch. A pair of bottom hooks are connected at the lower distal ends of the frame while an upper hook is connected to a central bar joining the two distal ends. The Quik-Coupler attaches as an interface between a tractor and an implement.
In operation, the Quik-Coupler is first conventionally connected to a tractor having a three-point hitch. The operator may then maneuver the tractor and Quik-Coupler adjacent an implement having a conventional three-point hitching arrangement, align the Quik-Coupler with the implement so that each rigidly connected hook is located directly below a pin connection having a transversely oriented pin, and then hydraulically raise the Quik-Coupler so that the hooks cooperate with the pins to thereby attach the Quik-Coupler to the implement.
The Nilsson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,101 discloses a male coupling frame attached to a tractor and a female coupling frame attached to the implement.
The DiLillo, U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,871 discloses an excavating apparatus for moving a load relative to the ground including a chassis, a load moving member, and a lift assembly movably mounted on the chassis for moving the load moving member relative to the ground.
The Rose, U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,594 discloses a fork lift for carrying large hay bales in combination with a feed rack comprising barred panels through which animals are able to feed on the bales.
The Feterl, U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,147 teaches an apparatus for handling and feeding large hay bales comprising the separable, cooperative combination of a coupler unit adapted to be attached to a three-point lift hitch on a tractor, and a lift fork unit which can be readily converted into a bale feeding container by removably securing a pair of upright wall assemblies to its opposite sides.
The Absher, U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,155 teaches a tractor scoop mechanism which is connected to the rear hydraulic arms of a tractor and pivotally to a tractor scoop. The tractor scoop can then be dumped by pulling a handle on the scoop mechanism which releases the scoop by rotating locking pins from an engaged position and allows the scoop to pivot downwardly into a dumping posture.
The Harrison, U.S. Pat. No. 2,730,250 discloses a loader fork comprising two vertical extending side bars having forwardly and upwardly extending converging arms joined at their upper ends by a bifurcated support element. A pair of legs are pivotally connected to the lower ends of the bars. Chains are connected between the bifurcated support element and a plate connected to the legs. In operation the loader fork is shoved underneath a load, such as pulp wood, when such load is suitably stacked and the fork lifted and moved to proper unloading position.